Aria felt like she hadn't slept since forever. Days of planning, weeks of training and practice, and now the nerve-racking wait for results and updates. It had taken a noticeable toll on the siren, who was now enjoying the closest thing to a warm, relaxing bath for her kind - namely, a large tank of warm, clear water placed in a otherwise quiet, tall room to fit the container. All around the tank were brown pinboards, each and every single one of them absolutely swarmed and stacked with reports, data, and even just newspaper articles that she hadn't found the time to read in recent times but found interesting at a glance.
The siren was exhausted, terribly so. She was immortal, had been confined to darkness for over a thousand years and experienced truly terrible things throughout her ancient lifespan... but now? Now she was simply tired and out of it. Bags were visible underneath her eyes, even as she drifted within the vaccum of the water container, which despite its width was still not fully capable of housing her body in full, and so her tail wound sideways to accomodate.
She had tried to sleep, but found that she could not. Yet whenever she wanted to focus on anything in particular, to read and catch up on things, her eyes felt heavier than ever, and drifted shut. She was a little unsure whether her hazed vision was a result of the water and glass in front of her or whether she was truly this far gone, already.
Aria knew what was wrong. She could see and feel it; obviously she was not oblivious to her own condition. But she pestered herself to keep going despite it all. She couldn't rest, couldn't 'take some time off' and put one of her specially chosen Generals in charge in her absence.
Her teeth scrunched as the purple creature placed a hoof up against the glass. Her rear gently floated downwards until her purple scales touched the glass floor with a nearly inaudible 'dink'.
Was there anycreature she could trust to step in for her? To take up her responsibilities? There were so many of them now... not to mention that she was a very picky individual at heart, and wanted things done in just a certain manner. Just who could she really entrust such a job with? Was there anyone? Any creature at all?
She relaxed, her sigh turning into a small flurry of air bubbles that rose to the surface. There was nocreature that could replace her. Were she not so exhausted from everything, she may have taken that fact to heart and taken it as a prideful compliment: she was truly one of a kind, and irreplacable!
And yet, here she was. Tired, weak, dazed. She was a real wreck, and certainly not fit to lead anyone, let alone serve as Commander-in-Chief of an entire military force. The latter was less than ideal now of all times. Not only were they at war, but she had given the go-ahead for Operation Alaudia two days ago. It should already be underway.
She looked to her left, specifically eyeing one of the pinboards around her wet home. Her eyes studied a map she had seen countless times by now. She was the one who had drawn up most of what was on it, after all.
There had been numerous complaints, issues and worries raised to her ears in the run-up to the operation. It was too risky, too early, too small, too big, too underprepared, bla bla bla. She had heard it all, and frankly, when she had thrown a fit at one of her generals the other day, she had told everyone that the operation was going ahead. She was so sure of herself then, to prove her superiority and strength to them for good, and silence the critics. She was a siren, and meant to rule the world, after all! She would wipe the floor with those zebras in Colthage, and Adagio herself would come to her in open wonder of her achievements.
She wondered where that confidence had gone to now. It certainly was nowhere with her; that she could feel for a fact. All the bold planning of the past, all the talks and all the bold orders and insults she had made... she was so confident then, in the moment. Afterwards, though, she felt like a complete dunce. She whinced mentally at her own actions, preferring them to never have been spoken aloud. She needed advice in this day and age, and she certainly needed a helping hoof - or claw, or whatever limb anycreature that was capable for the job could offer her.
Sending all their marines to land near, and then capture coastal bases, including the city of Hippone, was no easy feat. If her theory was correct, then the colthaginians would have a skeleton crew watching the place, with all their eggs in one basket on the frontline in Zumidia, which was still stable. They could seize those ports, open up new fronts, and all the while they could begin their main push out of Zumidia. It would be an overwhelming multi-pronged offensive.
Which was probably not a good thing given that her army was a bunch of angered hippogriffs and likewise angry zumidian conscripts. Sure the generals were kept more or less clean of their spell's effects - with the effects increased temporarily as a form of punishment - but the field officers weren't so lucky, and the common soldier even less so. They would be fighting mercenaries for the most part, sure, but even mercenaries had fighting spirit, something that a band of brainwashed goons that absolutely hate one another lacked almost entirely. She had figured out a sort of sweet spot a while ago, a level at which to keep her magical influence for the armed forces. It was plenty enough to keep them loyal to her and the other two even in the face of death - no information leakage that way, and no deserting or other no-no actions - and it made sure they followed direct orders if they were authorised by her. Yet, the magic spell was loosened to a degree that allowed free thought within those boundaries, but since they were still actively under her spell, it meant the 'side effect' was also there with them, within their minds. In laycreature terms? They all hated one another, and were annoyed by virtually everything. They obeyed, sure, but their performance was not exactly 110% to say the least.
Aria rolled onto her back, and allowed herself to drift all the way to the bottom of the container. She watched the tiny bubbles of air rise from her snout, her eyes still so very heavy. Maybe now she could... just for an hour...
She didn't even realise when the door slowly swung open, and a military adjutant pranced into the room, carrying a thin, brown folder under her folded wing. The hippogriff took it into both claws, looking at the form of her superior. She seemed at peace in there, and the occasional, tiny air bubbles coming out of her nostrils indicated she was likely snoring and asleep.
The officer made as little noise as possible as she took another pin and stuck the folder to one of the pin boards around the water container. She snuck out as quietly as possible, and the door closed slowly behind her, a meager 'click' sounding as the lock fell back into place.
Aria simply dozed on, her exhaustion having finally caught up to her. Again, as usual, she would open her eyes, but this time she couldn't open them fully, or for long, no longer having the focus or energy for it. She swore there was something important there...
Was that... a newspaper? A report maybe? What was that?
Did that say 'Alaudia'...?
Why was... that........
Zzzzzzz...